Performative activism is not enough.
Let's Educate Ourselves!
So you want to be an ally but don’t know where to start? Let’s learn how.
We will read “So You Want to Talk About Race” by ljeoma Oluo. We’ll meet twice, once at the beginning of the book, and once at the end of the book (beginning and end of July). We’ll engage in reflection exercises, ask tough questions, and lean into difficult conversations about race and privilege.
This won’t be a one-stop shop for allyship, but rather, the start of a journey of questioning and listening and support. We may stumble and make some mistakes along the way (myself included) but we can no longer sit on the side-lines, we must actively engage in tearing down the racist systems that surround us.
While many people are afraid to talk about race, just as many use talk to hide from what they really fear: action.
So You Want to Talk About Race
Widespread reporting on aspects of white supremacy–from police brutality to the mass incarceration of Black Americans–has put a media spotlight on racism in our society. Still, it is a difficult subject to talk about. How do you tell your roommate her jokes are racist? Why did your sister-in-law take umbrage when you asked to touch her hair–and how do you make it right? How do you explain white privilege to your white, privileged friend?
In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to “model minorities” in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.
About the Author
Ijeoma Oluo is a Seattle-based writer, speaker, and Internet Yeller. She’s the author of the New York Times Best-Seller So You Want to Talk about Race, published in January by Seal Press. Named one of the The Root’s 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2017, one of the Most Influential People in Seattle by Seattle Magazine, one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Seattle by Seattle Met, and winner of the of the 2018 Feminist Humanist Award by the American Humanist Society, Oluo’s work focuses primarily on issues of race and identity, feminism, social and mental health, social justice, the arts, and personal essay. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, NBC News, Elle Magazine, TIME, The Stranger, and the Guardian, among other outlets.
Supported Cause: Campaign Zero
Campaign Zero encourages policymakers to focus on solutions with the strongest evidence of effectiveness at reducing police violence.
Campaign ZERO was developed with contributions from activists, protesters and researchers across the nation. This data-informed platform presents a package of policy solutions to end police violence in America. It integrates community demands and policy recommendations from research organizations and President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
Our platform is continuously updated in response to the findings and insights of researchers and organizers nationwide.
How can I participate?
The cost of participation is a 15€/15$ donation to Campaign Zero who are advocating for the adoption of 8 policing regulations that reduce police violence by 72%.
Educating ourselves is a good start, supporting the organizations advocating for the rights and dignity of humans is equally important.
Thank you!
This Book Club took place between July 7th to August 4th, 2020.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever Xenolearn Book Club! It was an amazing experience of learning, growth and inspiration.
We were joined by Gilberto Morishaw and Beverly Osazuwa. We reflected on “So You Want to Talk About Race” in the context of Canada, the U.S. , the Netherlands and Sweden. In short, our guests gave us five calls to action: Learning, Listening, Speaking Up Taking Action and Being Brave.
We also said that action can take the form of connecting with local organizations and donating your time, services, or financial resources. She also notably said that to make change in our political contexts, we have to “annoy the heck” out of our city councillors and elected officials.